Story ID: 000
StandardAero To Close LAX Bizav Maintenance Facility
By: Samantha Cartaino
Caption: The LAX-based bizav facility will close by the end of March 2018, but StandardAero will continue mobile service capabilities in southern California.
Word Count: 230
StandardAero will close its Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) business aviation repair station by the end of March, it announced January 9. Company officials have met with its approximately 70 LAX-based employees to provide assistance in redeployment, outplacement, and relocation to other StandardAero positions. Despite this closure, StandardAero will continue to provide mobile aircraft service capabilities in Southern California.

The decision to close the LAX facility came after a consultation with the company’s owners, investors, and board of directors. StandardAero attributed the base shutdown to “unexpected reduction in the number of worldwide [Honeywell] TFE731 engine events and the associated revenue and volume declines that have accompanied this trend, along with multiple unsuccessful attempts to secure a long-term lease for the LAX facility.”

Other factors included the decrease in demand for scheduled airframe inspection work at the airport and operators reaching out to more convenient business aviation airports in the region. StandardAero stressed that the closure did not reflect employee performance at the facility. The company will work with local MRO and aerospace companies to aid those LAX employees who are not able to relocate.

StandardAero will operate the facility until the end of March and continue to complete agreements for current projects and commitments for existing customers. Equipment, tooling, and inventories will then be transferred to the company’s other business aviation locations.